Crimping apparatus for applying a connector to a conductor



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 25, 1958 H. c. STOLTZ CRIMP APPARATUS FORAPPLYING A c ECTOR TO A CONDUCTOR Filed April 25, 1955 INVENTOR. HerbertC. Stoltz BY I March 25, 1958 H. c. sToLTz 2,827,941

. CRIMPING APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CONNECTOR TO A CONDUCTOR 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25. 1955 IN V EN TOR.

Herberc c. stolt United States, Pate 1 0,

CRIMPING APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A CONNECTOR TO-A CONDUCTOR Herbert C.Stoltz, Palmyra, Pa., assignor to AMP Incorporated, a corporation of NewJersey Application April 25, 1955, Serial No. 503,531

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 153-1) In the art of joining an electrical conductor toa connector it is particularly advantageous to provide a .pre

insulated connector and to secure the insulation; of the manufacturersemploy varying amounts of insulation.

For example, the insulation diameter of a No. 8 wire will notnecessarily be uniform but will vary according to the manufacturer.

Thus it is an object of this invention to provide a set of dies forcrimping a pre-insulated connector to a conductor and in the sameoperation crimp the insulation of the connector tothe insulation ofconductor whereby the insulation crimping means can be easily adjustedto accommodate conductor insulations of different outside diameters.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a set of insulationcrimping dies that can easily be adjusted without removing the dies fromthe tool.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a set of insulationcrimping dies that are so constructed as to permit the operator to knowwhen the crimping dies are completely closed.

Other important features and objects of the invention to which referencehas not been made hereinabove will appear hereinafter when the followingdescription and claims are considered with the accompanyingdrawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 represents a front viewof a preferred embodiment of theassembly.

Figure 2 shows a sectional view taken through II--II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cut-away perspective view showing the relationship of theadjusting means for the insulation crimping die.

Figure 4' is a view of the conductor crimping members, demonstrating thecut-away section of the flareplate.

Figure 5 is an exploded view of one of the indenting members.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 show the insulation crimping device in threepositions of adjustment.

Figure 9 shows a pre-insulated terminal crimped onto an insulatedelectrical conductor. 7

Figure 10- shows a pre-insulated terminal prior to the crimpingoperation.

Figure 11 shows the position of the pre-insulated terminal and conductorpositioned relative to the crimping assembly.

The device shown in the drawings is particularly useful in crimping anelectrical connector of the type having an inner metal ferrule,surrounded by a plastic sheath, for example, the type shown in thepatent to Watts, No. 2,410,321.

The assembly is placed in any well known crimping tool having a pair ofjaws capable of being urged toward each other radially in relation tothe connector to be crimped.

. Patented Mar. 25, 1958.

A preferred embodiment of the die assembly includes a first die membergenerally designated A and a second die member which is generallydesignated B.

Referring to the particular first die member A shown in the drawings, aseating member 10 is removably securedv to the tool. A supporting plate12 is integral with the seating member 10, and at right angles thereto.The plate 12 supports the insulation crimping means 14 (see Figure 5). Aconnector receiving die 16 is integral with the die plate 12. A pair offlare plates 18 and 18' are positioned one on either side of the plate16 so that the surfaces of the notched portions 20 are coextensive withthe conductor die surfaces 21. The edges 22 of the flare plates seat onthe supporting plate 12 so that the flare plates are parallel to the die16.

The insulation crimping device 14 is generally plateshaped, as shown inFigure 5. A vertical projection 26 formsflone side of insulationcrimping die 28. A graduated stepped portion 30 is provided in theopposite side of the crimping device 14 so that the projection 26 oneach plate nests with the step 30 in the opposite plate to form acomplete insulation crimping apparatus.

To provide for adjustment of the insulation crimping die a slot 32having steps 34, 36, 38, is fashioned in. the inner face of the plate 14at the edge that seats on the supporting plate 12. An adjustmentassembly has a able longitudinally through the openings.

re'ctangularly shaped shoulder 42 that may be positioned to adjust theposition of the insulation crimping device 14. The pin 48 is adjustablelongitudinally to position theassembly 40 so that one of the steps onthe insulation crimping means will seat on the shoulder 42. Thus, theinsulation crimping means can be adjusted by changing the position ofthe assembly relative to the insulation crimping plate.

Slotted holes 44 in the plate 14 accommodate screws 46. The slottedholes 44 are oversize to allow the plate 14 tobe moved toward or awayfrom the supporting plate 12. Corresponding screw holes 47 and 47' areprovided in the flare plates 18 and 18' and die plate 16 respectively.The screw holes 47 in the flare plate 18 are tapped to receive thethreads on the outer surface of the screws.

Turning now to the assembly 40 (see Figure 5) the particular embodimentshown includes a cylindrical pin 48. and a rigidly secured rectangularmember 42 at right angles thereto. One of the steps 34, 36 or 38 seatson the rectangular member and the cylindrical member is used tolongitudinally adjust the position of the assembly 40, thus adjustingthe spacing of the insulation crimping members. A spring 52 surroundsoneend of the pin 48. The spring is. disposed between the rectangularshoulder 42 and the die plate 16 (see Figures 6-8). Marks 51 on thecylindrical member indicate the setting of the assembly.

In assembly (Figures 2 and 3) the flare plates 18 and 18 are placed oneither side of the die plate 16. The

notched edges 20 are aligned with the conductor-crimping die 21. Thespring 52 is placed in the opening 23 of inner; flare plate 18, and oneend of the pin 48 is placed longi tudinally through the spring 52. Theopening 56 in the die plate 16 permits the passage of the pin 48 but notthe spring 52 (Figure 2). Thus, the spring 52 seats against the innerface of the die plate 16 while the pin 48 moves longitudinally throughthe opening 56 in the plate 16. The inner flare plate 18 straddles thespring and pin at opening 23 (see Figures 2 and 5). The opening 58 inthe outer flare plate 18 is aligned with the openings 56 and 23 in thedie plate and inner flare plate respectively, so that the cylindricalmember 48 is mov- As shown in Figures 2 and 3 the insulation crimpingdie 14 is seated on the supporting plate 12 with the slot 32 adjacentthe r 3 inner flare plate 18 so that one 46 pass through the screw holesand are threaded into the flare'plate '18 to hold the' flare plates andinsulation crimping assembly-in proper alignment 7 i g The otherindentingmember B is identical with the first indenting member A exceptfor the shape of the conductor-crimping die. The conductor-crimping diesshown in the drawings are merely an illustrative emb odiment of thepreferred form. It is obvious that dies of various shapes may beemployed.

When assembled the members A and B are secured to opposing jaws of thecrimping tool. An insulated connector barrel 60 is seated in theconnector-crimping die 21 and the bare end 62 of the conductor 63 isplaced therein, as shown-in Figure 11. The insulated skirt of theconnector seats in the insulation crimping nest 28. The insulation onthe conductor is so arranged as to eX- tend no further than the innerflare plate 18. When the tool jaws are closed the conductor crimping.dies co operate to crimp the conductor onto the ferrule portion 64 onthe connector and the insulation crimping dies 28 cooperate to crimp theinsulation skirt 66 of the connector onto the insulation of theconductor thus effectively crimping the terminal onto the'conductor asshown in Figure 9.

The flare plates act as tapering means between the conductor crimpingdies 21 and the insulation crimping dies 28. This prevents the formationof a sharp corner on the connector insulation at the jun'ction'of theconductor insulation and the conductor crimp, see Figure 9. Such aprecaution reduces the possibility of tearing the insulation on theconnector.

Figure 4 shows a portion of the flare plate 18' broken away as at 59.This permits the operator to view the relationship of the conductorcrimping dies16 when the tool is in closed position to make sure thatthe dies have bottomed and that the crimp is complete.

Figures 6 to 8 show the insulation crimping assembly in three differentadjustments. Figure 6 shows the assembly with the maximum width Abetween the insulation crimping dies. In this position the shoulders 42seat on steps 38. Figure 7 shows the intermediate adjustment B with theshoulders 42 seated on steps 36. Figure 8 shows an adjustment of theinsulation crimping means with the minimum width C between theinsulation crimping dies. The shoulders 42 are seated on the outermoststeps 34.

When it is desired to change the setting of the insulation crimpingplate from a wide to a narrower setting, the screws 46 are loosened topermit movement of the insulation crimping means 14 from the widestsetting as shown in Figure 6 to the narrower setting of Figure 7. Thepin member 48 is moved longitudinally by the action of the spring 52.Whereas the plate 14 formerly seated on step 38 it now seats on step 36and the plate 14 is moved in a direction away from the support plate 12.The plate 14 of the other die may be shifted in a similar manner. Ofcourse, an intermediate adjustment may be made by only changing thesetting of one of the insulation crimping dies. The screws are thentightened to hold the parts in place. Since the plates 14 are moved ofthe steps 34, 36 or 38 7 seats on the rectangular member 42. The screwmembers toward each other, the opening between them is decreased. Shouldit be desired to decrease the opening further the operation is repeatedand the plates can be again shifted to so that they seat on the steps34.

When the insulation crimping apparatus is assembled the spring 52 urgesthe rectangular member 50 outwardly and it is locked in the positionshown in Figure 8. When it is desired to adjust the insulationcrimpingdies from the narrowest setting as shown in Figure 8 to wider setting ofFigure 7, the screws are loosened and the rectangular wedge 42 is urgedinwardly against the action of spring 52 andthe housing is locked inplace.

Since either of the insulation crimping dies can be moved to a newposition independently of the other, six positions are available."However, theoretically any number of steps can be provided to allow agreater latitude of adjustments.

It is noted that thedescribed embodiment provides an adjusting meanswhich is accessible from the front of the'insert so that it; is notnecessary to remove the insert assembly from the tool to make such anadjustment.

1. An assembly for crimping an electrical connector onto an insulatedconductor comprising a pair of spaced supporting plates,aconductor-crimping means associated with each plate, an'adjustable,insulation-crimping means associated with each plate, saidinsulation-crimping means comprising a pair of rectangular membershaving comple'm'entary, spaced die surfaces, a graduated stepped slot ineach of the members and an adjusting member slidably positioned betweeneach. supporting plate and one of the steps in the slot of therespective member, whereby the spacing between the die surfaces on theinsulation-crimping means maybe adjusted by moving either of therectangular members relative to its supporting plate and its adjustingmember.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a flare plate is seated on thesupporting plate on each side of the conductorcrimping meansand one ofthe flare plates has a recess in the vicinity of the crimping surfacesof the dies, whereby the'operator may observe the degree of closure ofthe dies. 3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including an outwardlyextending pin on each adjusting member, each of said pins extendingthrough an opening in its respective rectangular member, whereby therectangular member may be adjusted by moving the pin.

4. The device as set forth in claim 3 including a releasable lockingmeans holding each of the rectangular members in a predeterminedposition, and spring means resiliently urging the adjusting means towardone position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,359,083 Carlson' Sept. 26, 1944. 2,639,754 Macy May 26, 1953 2,692,422Pierce Oct. 26, 1954 V FOREIGN PATENTS 567,145 Great Britain an Jan. 30,1945

